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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Delaying Class Size Reductions, Again
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I figured there was going to be some lobbying from school systems this year on the impending class size reductions in high schools, which are set to take place next school year. But I never imagined the chairman of the House Education Committee would offer his own plan to delay the new standards.
Last week, state Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth), a former Gwinnett County administrator, filed a bill to postpone the smaller class sizes for two more school years. That is, until 2009-2010.
Although Coleman had pushed for Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Truth in Class Size Act last year — which required lower, more strict size limits in elementary and middle schools — he apparently decided the cost would be too great at the high school level (where school systems are still allowed to use averages to meet the size targets, rather than adhering to the maximums in each and every class).
I’m sure school superintendents will be thrilled with the news, especially after years of dealing with cuts to the education funding formula. But I wonder: Will teachers and parents be so grateful?
